


A Lovely Voice

by DoctorCucumber



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Singing, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:21:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21663613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorCucumber/pseuds/DoctorCucumber
Summary: The Doctor always does maintenance on the TARDIS between adventures.  But this time, you catch her doing something you've never seen before.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Reader, Thirteenth Doctor/You
Comments: 23
Kudos: 81





	A Lovely Voice

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the song if you'd like to listen to it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILxo-TUkzOQ&t=3s (it really hits different at 3/4 speed, that's kind of what I was imagining it would sound like here). I changed the lyrics a wee bit. You might recognize it if you've seen _The Green Mile_. There's also a really good version with Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, I'm on a bit of a kick of music from a century ago right now and their cover is really nice.

The time between adventures had been quiet lately. As you found yourselves in more and more intense situations, the team had started needing more and more time to recuperate. Which was fine with you; while Yaz, Ryan, and Graham caught up on sleep, you had an excuse to spend more time with the Doctor.

And the Doctor was exactly who you were looking for at the moment. You could usually find her in the console room, tinkering away, so you were heading there now, armed with tea and custard creams. But as you approach the end of the hallway, your steps falter and you strain to hear a noise coming from inside.

It’s hard to make out any words, but you’re pretty sure you hear singing. You creep into the console room and spot the Doctor. Or at least part of the Doctor, her legs are sticking out from underneath the console. You grin as you spot her tapping her boots sporadically, apparently to the beat of whatever she’s singing. Inching closer, you plop down gently next to her and set the mugs and food aside. You lean back and suppress a sigh as the soothing melody washes over you.

Eventually, the singing peters out, and as the Doctor starts to hum, you start to clap. Apparently, she hadn't noticed you come in, because as soon as you make a sound, she bolts up, smacking her head against the underside of the console. You cringe and rush forward, leaning over her and rushing out apologies.

She waves you off, flipping her welding mask up to reveal a grin and slightly rosy cheeks; you don’t know if she’s blushing because she’s embarrassed to have been caught singing or if it’s from hitting her head. She seems fine though, if the cheeky look she’s shooting you is anything to go by.

“Didn’t realize I had an audience,” she smirks, scooting further out from under the console and closer to you.

You can feel your face heating up as you rub the back of your neck, avoiding her gaze. “Sorry, I’m _really_ sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop or anything, promise. But, y’know, since I _did_ happen to hear and all, wha- what was that song?”

“It’s from an old Earth film. Or maybe future Earth film? I’m almost positive it’s from Earth. Not like me to lose track of time, is it? Movies are in colour now, right?”

You can’t quite tell if she’s joking, but you feel your face split into a grin as you laugh and nod. She seems pleased with your laughter, gazing at you with a smile that lights up the room, shining so brilliantly you can’t stare at her too long or you’ll burn. A comfortable quiet falls over you as you both stare at the console, soft lights illuminating the space in a soft glow.

"It’s really a song you're supposed to dance to though."

The silence settles around you again, only this time it’s suffocating. You’re sure it’s only a few seconds, but it feels like you sit on your response for decades, every sense heightening as you bite back a reply, a reply you know you really shouldn’t give. You can feel her breathing next to you, her body heat searing your side. A swell of unexpected courage clouds your judgement and you turn to her.

"I'll dance with you."

The Doctor's eyebrows shoot up in surprise briefly before she breaks into a grin, hoisting herself up from under the console, careful to not bump her head this time. She yanks off her welding mask, leaving her hair adorably messy, and wipes her hands on her trousers, extending one toward you.

You reach out to take her outstretched hand, but hesitate, looking down at your feet. "I know I _technically_ suggested this, but I _technically_ don't actually know how to dance," you mutter sheepishly.

The Doctor grabs your hand and pulls you off the floor easily, with so much momentum that you wobble on your feet and fall into her a bit. She chuckles as you jerk back, staring at you intently as she gently rests your hand on her own shoulder. You swallow hard as you watch her hand reach toward you, lightly grazing your hip.

She smiles softly as she grabs your other hand, bending your arm away from you and pulling you closer to her.

“Just follow my lead,” she whispers, seemingly just mere centimetres away from you. And before you can begin to process exactly what’s happening, you start to sway. And she starts to sing.

_Heaven, I'm in heaven_

Her hand bunches up in the fabric of your shirt and you stop breathing, air caught in your throat, choking you in the best possible way.

_And my hearts beat so that I can hardly speak_

_That'd be new for you, Doc,_ you think, smiling to yourself and letting a faint giggle escape at the lyrics.

_And I seem to find the happiness I seek_

You catch a flash of sadness flicker in her eyes at that, and your heart clenches painfully for her. But it’s gone in an instant, replaced with sheer fondness for this moment. This moment and _you_.

_When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek_

At that she leans even closer and her cheek brushes against your own as you spin in a slow circle. You can feel her smiling against you and you struggle to hold in a sigh, unable to remember a time in recent memory when you’ve been so utterly content.

_Heaven, I'm in heaven_

Her hand inches around to rest on the small of your back, and she uses the leverage to pull you closer to her. You’re pressed together more than you’ve ever been before, and the touch is almost overwhelming with its newness.

_And the cares that hung around me through the week_

_That’s an understatement when you’re in a time machine,_ you think. You glance down, simultaneously hiding a grin at the ironic lyrics and checking to make sure you aren’t about to step on her toes.

_Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak_

You feel the Doctor guide your hand to rest on her other shoulder. As she drops it, you miss the heat of her fingers for the briefest moment before you feel them under your chin, raising your gaze.

_When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek_

You don’t even realize the two of you have stopped dancing, lost in the depths of her eyes. You barely even notice as she leans in, closer and closer until you’re breathing the same air. Breath hitches in your throat as you freeze, unsure of exactly what is happening.

"Hold on," she whispers.

Before you can ask what she means, she clutches your waist and lifts you seemingly effortlessly, starting to spin. A squeak escapes your lips as your fingers lace together around her neck, surprise quickly melting into delight as you laugh, face pressed into the crook of her neck.

Your feet land on the TARDIS floor much too soon, but you don’t pull away from each other, still clinging to each other tightly. Eventually, with great effort, you lean back to look her in the face.

“You have a really lovely voice, y’know that, Doctor?” You force yourself not to break eye contact, not to shy away from the intensity of her gaze, her presence, her essence.

A grin lights up her face, but it quickly melts into something different, something softer. And before you can process it, she’s leaning closer to you again. The Doctor stops, and you inhale sharply as her eyes flit down to glance at your mouth. Her grip on you tightens just so, and you find yourself leaning in closer to her like a gravitational pull; you’re being sucked into her orbit, spinning out of control.

“Doctor? Can I ki-“

You’re cut off by the soft press of her lips to your own. The kiss is short and sweet, but it leaves you lightheaded all the same. The Doctor’s thumbs draw soft circles into your sides as she grins at what you’re sure is a dazed expression on your face.

Lost for words, you pull her closer to you and bury your face in her shoulder, hiding yourself away. The Doctor starts to sway again, humming the tune and bringing up a hand to card through your hair, gently scratching the back of your neck. You let yourself savor the moment of quiet, of peace in your hectic lives, and for the first time in a long time, everything is alright.

**Author's Note:**

> I worked on this when I was supposed to be writing ten whole pages of a term paper, someone stop me.
> 
> The rest of the lyrics are about wanting her arms around you and how dancing with you is more thrilling than any adventure, which is extremely relevant, so let's just pretend I wrote more of this, okay?


End file.
